Aachen, 28. Juni 2008

US vaulting team wins the Prize of the Sparkasse
Kaiser beats Vorberg in the second freestyle competition - Ströh confirms her previous day performance

At the end of the vaulting freestyle competitions the Vice-World Champion finished ahead of the World Champion: After the third judge allocated a controversial score in the freestyle competition, the US team Face finished first in the Prize of the Sparkasse at the World Equestrian Festival, CHIO Aachen 2008 (June 27th - July 6th), narrowly beating RSV i. Neuss-Grimlinghausen I, who had taken the lead after Friday's competitions. The Wintermühle team of the JRG Cologne took third place. "We are totally disappointed," stated RSV lunger Jessica Schmitz. "Admittedly we made two small mistakes, but I can't understand why the American judge gave us half a point less. That is a world's difference in vaulting." Ultimately, Face narrowly won the overall classification after yesterday's compulsory test and today's freestyle with a total score of 7.915 ahead of Neuss-Grimlinghausen with 7.909 and Cologne with a score of 7.452. Furthermore, on Sunday, June 29th, the first Vaulting Nations' Cup is to be held at the CHIO Aachen. "We are going to go for it and show everyone how good we really are, " explained Schmitz.

There was a small stir in the men's individual classification on Saturday too: World Champion Kai Vorberg had to make do with second place in the second freestyle competition with a score of 8.586 behind Daniel Kaiser on Merkur (Delitzsch near Leipzig/8.620). Third place went to the Czech vaulter, Petr Eim on Apollo 306 (8.313). The vaulter from Cologne was nevertheless "very satisfied" with his performance on Picasso RS from the Wintermühle. "Everything is really starting to fit together well". The German Vice-World Champion, the 21-year-old Daniel Kaiser commented: "I had incredible fun today. I succeeded in achieving the goals I had set myself. So I am delighted that I am lying up front in the freestyle." After dominating the first round on Friday - comprising of the compulsory test and the freestyle - the overall victory is however still within the World Champion's reach depending on the outcome of the final technical test on Sunday. The second round of the individual classification in the men's and ladies' competitions comprises of today's freestyle and tomorrow's technical test. The average score from the two rounds makes up the score of the overall classification.

Meanwhile, the FEI World Equestrian Games Aachen 2006 bronze medallist, Nicola Ströh, confirmed her previous day's performance in the ladies competition. On Friday, the vaulter from Hamburg clearly dominated the first round. With a score of 8.526 in the second freestyle test, she entered round two on Lanson today as the leader. Mary McCormick on Leonardo (USA/8,480) is currently lying in second place with Joanne Eccles on W H Bentley (Great Britain/8.340) in third place. The previous year winner and European Champion from Austria, Sissi Jarz had to be satisfied with fifth place (8.253). "My freestyle routine was brilliant today, much better than yesterday," Ströh commented happily. She can now confidently look forward to the final technical test.

Opening hours of the CHIO Aachen 2008 ticket sales:
Sunday, 29.06.2008 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Monday, 30.06.2008 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Tuesday, 01.07.2008 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Wednesday, 02.07.2008 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Thursday, 03.07.2008 from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday, 04.07.2008 from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Saturday, 05.07.2008 from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Sunday, 06.07.2008 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Ticket hotline: +49-(0)241-917-1111